


Just a Little Crush

by orphan_account



Category: Mo Dao Zu Shi
Genre: First fiction, Getting Together, I forgot to add this earlier, Idiots in Love, Jingyi is a good matchmaker, M/M, beta read we resurrect like Wei Wuxian, but definitely fluff, we need more Zhuiling in the world
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:08:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24405559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Jin Ling and Lan Sizhui have problems.They are both very much in love with each other, but like the idiots they are, of course getting together would not be easy.Wei Wuxian is still shameless.
Relationships: Lan SiZhui/Jin Ling, Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian
Comments: 38
Kudos: 115





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was written without any sort of plot in mind, so it sort of evolved as I progressed. I’m sorry if it seems disjointed, I did my best. I also switch POVs a lot, just warning you.
> 
> It is my first fiction in this fandom, but I will try to do justice to the characters. 
> 
> The Zhuiling ship is one of my favorite in the fandom, and as the tag said, we need more in the world!
> 
> Credits to the song Just a Little Crush, by Jennifer Paige for inspiring me with this title, and to Grey_C for brainstorming with me and putting up with my insecurities. Thank you, Grey_C!

Jin Ling had a dilemma. He couldn’t stop thinking about his best friend, Lan Sizhui, the way he always smiled when one of the resident rabbits of the Cloud Recesses came up to him, the way his fingers flickered skillfully over the strings of his guqin, the way his black hair fell softly over his shoulder when he—

Okay, this was getting out of hand. Something must be done. His best friend was slowly ruining his life without even realizing it, and Jin Ling was letting him. What.

Jin Ling’s brain was, as he finally decided, a complete idiot. Nothing was ever going to happen anyways. Sizhui didn’t even like men. Probably. What if—

NO.

 _We are not doing that_ , Jin Ling reprimanded his brain, not that it made a difference. For the next few days, he avoided Sizhui completely. Better safe than drowning in embarrassment because he CAN’T TURN OFF HIS STUPID BRAIN.

Solitude did not help. He merely missed Sizhui more than ever, his laugh, the way he looked absolutely stricken that one time they were sparring with their swords a little too carelessly, and he had accidentally sliced Jin Ling’s cheek. He had been so sorry after that. Jin Ling hadn’t even been mad at him, the wound was shallow, and it was really his fault anyways, for not ducking fast enough, but Sizhui still went out of his way several times in the next week to ask him if he was okay, to the point where Jin Ling couldn’t take the legitimate concern for his wellbeing anymore and snapped, “I’m FINE, so SHUT UP already!” Then he ran away to find something to run violently into headfirst because because he was such a STUPID IDIOT, and WHY HAD HE SAID THAT, THAT WASN'T WHAT HE MEANT AT ALL—

Okay, he needed help.

————————————————

Lan Sizhui had problems of his own. He had been severely in love with Jin Ling for a year and a half, had been dropping significant hints for eight months, and Jin Ling not only seemed completely oblivious, but also seemed to be avoiding him so thoroughly for the last few days that Sizhui almost suspected that he was doing it on purpose.

What did he do wrong?

He caught Jin Ling’s eye at supper that night only to see him immediately yank his gaze away and choke, turning a brilliant shade of scarlet. He downed his food as fast as possible and practically ran out of the room.

Lan Jingyi, the ever observant, noticed. He nudged Sizhui with his elbow. “What was that? If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that the Young Mistress is lovestruck! I wonder, who’s the unlucky object of his affections? Judging from the table he was looking at, I vote for the lovely Liao Xinglin—’’

“Shut up, Jingyi. ” Sizhui croaked. _No. Please. Don’t fall in love. Don’t leave. Please—_

“What? Are you in love with him or something?” Jingyi went on obliviously. “Because if you are you can totally tell—’’

“I said _shut up_.” Sizhui turned around abruptly and stalked out of the dining hall.

Hmmm...Jingyi eyed him as he left, noting his flushed cheeks and clenched fists. _Really, Sizhui? That stuck up little brat?_ Oh well, it was Sizhui’s choice, and seeing how awkward they both were about emotions in the first place, this promised to be interesting. Jingyi was down.

————————————————

Jin Ling gave up. He didn’t really want anything to do with his possibly insane and definitely shameless uncle, but there was no way he was going to talk to Jiang Cheng, the man blacklisted by all female cultivators, about his crush. (Jin Ling had only recently admitted to himself that it actually was a crush, preferring to wallow in denial until he couldn’t reasonably turn a blind eye to the obviousness of his attraction anymore.)

At any rate, desperate times call for desperate measures, and so, distasteful though he found him, Wei Wuxian it was.

He almost lost his courage before he even knocked on the door of the Jingshi. He stood on the doorstep for approximately four minutes until Wei Wuxian himself appeared, yawning and clearly not expecting visitors, dressed only in a long, loose white robe that looked suspiciously like one of Lan Wangji’s— _NO we are not going there_ —Jin Ling shut that line of thought down as soon as it appeared, and cleared his throat. Wei Wuxian blinked at him in surprise. “Oh, hullo! What are you doing here?”

“Is there any reason I shouldn’t be here?” Jin Ling queried icily. Wei Wuxian somehow never failed to put him on his guard.

“Ummm, not really, it’s just that I wasn’t expecting my favorite nephew so early in the morning. Usually the only person I see before 7 AM is Lan Zhan...” The robe, already balanced precariously, slipped off one shoulder entirely, and Jin Ling immediately gave in to the temptation of rolling his eyes.

“ _Will_ you go back inside and put on something decent?? I came here to actually talk to you, and throwing Lan Wangji’s name at me every other sentence is not the way to get me to stick around!”

“Oh fine, suit yourself! Wait a minute.”

After a surprisingly short time, compared to how long his dandified uncle usually took, Wei Wuxian reappeared, smoothing his hair down and looking as put together as he always did, which was to say not at all, in the most fashionable way possible.

He was infuriating like that.

“Now, what was it that my dearest nephew wanted to confide in me about? Come on, spill! What’s the big news? Did Lan Qiren finally figure out it was Jingyi that left one of Lan Zhan’s rabbits in his desk drawer?”

Jin Ling screwed his courage to a point sharp enough to stab any unwary passerby unlucky enough to catch his glare. “What—what do you do if you like someone but you have no idea if they like you back and you don’t think they do and you’re not even sure how much you like them and you really don’t want to lose them but you’re going to die if you don’t tell them and you just don’t know what to do?” He said all in one breath before he lost his nerve and ran away entirely.

————————————————

Wei Wuxian was having a good day. It was a nice, normal, I-love-my-husband-and-life-is-beautiful sort of day. And then. Jin Ling appeared, looking vaguely out of it, snapped at him irritatedly and then dropped THE INEVITABLE QUESTION. Just great.

He had no idea what to say, so he said the first thing that came into his head, “Um.” Because he was brilliant.

He paused for a minute to collect his wits enough to ask an intelligent question. “So...who is it?”

Jin Ling buried his red face in his arms. “None of your business.”

“...Uh-huh.”

There was an awkward silence.

“...So are you going to help me or not?” Jin Ling finally demanded.

“I have to know who it is first!” Wei Wuxian said teasingly, “Tell me and I will open my stores of knowledge to be used at you disposal!”

“No.”

“Awww, come on! Would you like me to try and guess?”

“...No.” But there was less conviction in the words this time.

“I’m doing it anyways! Okay, first try...Liao Xinglin?”

“No.”

“Then maybe...Lan Jingyi?”

“No! He’s my best friend!” Jin Ling sounded horrified.

“Lan Sizhui.” It wasn’t a question.

“...How did you know?” said Jin Ling in a very small voice.

————————————————

“Jingyi, can I tell you something?” Sizhui asked, nervously picking at the grass near his feet.

“Sure, what?”

 _How does he say it so easily?_ As if the fate of the whole world did not depend on the piece of information he was about to impart to his friend.

“I...like Jin Ling.” There, he said it, it was out in the open for the first time, and Jingyi seemed completely unfazed.

“...I figured. Congratulations on your great and marvelous discovery!”

“You knew? H-how—’’

“Oh, please! How could I not know, with you being so obvious at breakfast this morning?” Jingyi rolled his eyes.

“I was...obvious?”

“With that look on your face? You practically had ‘I am a lonely sufferer of unrequited love for the beautiful and heroic Jin Ling’ emblazoned across your forehead!”

“...No I didn’t.”

“Suit yourself! At any rate, what was the point of telling me this? Do you want me to set you two up? Because I can _totally_ do that, and—’’

“No! I just...I don’t know what to tell him, or how to tell him, or even if he likes me back—’’

“Who wouldn’t? You’re much nicer than you realize, you know. He’d have to be a complete _idiot_ (which he is sometimes, don’t get me wrong,) to not like you just as much as you like him! Anyways, do you want me to play spy duty, set you up, go with you when you confess for moral support (although I warn you, I am _not_ doing that!) or just bear this knowledge to my grave and watch my best friend waste away from a broken heart? (because I’m _definitely_ not doing that!)”

“I don’t _know_!!” Sizhui wailed, hiding his face in his hands.

There was a pause. Suddenly, Jingyi jumped up. “Wait a second, Sizhui! I just had an awesome idea!”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Lan Wangji has no idea what’s going on, and Wei Wuxian, while still annoying, is slightly deeper than he seems. Jingyi has a PLAN.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really quick update, I already had this part written, HAHAHA.  
> Please enjoy!

Lan Wangji was confused. What were his husband and his quasi-nephew doing shouting at each other in the middle of his living room at 6:45 in the morning? If they didn’t mind his intrusion, he would very much like to know what exactly was going on.

Wei Ying must have noticed him standing awkwardly on the doorstep and taken pity upon his woeful state of ignorance about the subject of the entire conversation, because, upon seeing his bemused countenance, he immediately grinned, crossing the room to drape himself over his husband, saying “Hel _lo_ , darling! Jin Ling and I were just arguing about the best way for him to confess his undying love to our son! Any thoughts?”

“Sizhui. Jin Ling...loves Sizhui.”

“Yup! Isn’t it the absolute cutest thing you’ve ever heard of?” Wei Ying was practically glittering, completely ignoring Jin Ling’s shout of protest at being called “cute”.

“Just so you know, Hanguang-Jun, I am very much in love with Sizhui, and you can’t stop me, I can love him as much as I like, and I don’t care if your mad!” Jin Ling didn’t actually say “so there”, but it was definitely implied.

“Not...mad. Confused. Wei Ying?” Honestly, he wasn’t mad. He just suddenly realized that Sizhui was growing up. It was frightening...but, he supposed wryly, that it had to happen sometime.

He broke out of his reverie in time to see Wei Ying shooing Jin Ling out the door. Wei Ying shut it behind him, leaned against it, and laughed. Lan Wangji watched him somewhat reproachfully until he finally calmed down, saying “ Sorry, it’s just too adorable for my heart to take! Lan Zhan, help me. We need to get those two together!”

“...Mn.”

———————————————

“ _Please_ don’t do anything stupid!” Sizhui yelled after Jingyi as he galloped down the hill.

_By “stupid” he means embarrassing_ , thought Jingyi. Well, he couldn’t guarantee that there would be no blushing on either side, but he definitely wasn't going to doom his two best friends to a life of (“No swearing in the Cloud Recesses, Jingyi!” said the tiny Sizhui in his head,) misery and pining, just because they couldn’t get their lives together and actually confess to each other!

Jingyi had a plan. It was a little complicated, but “ _all’s fair in love and war_ ”, and he was fighting for both parties here, so Gusu Lan rules can go jump in the lake, he was gonna _do this_!

Now, where was Lan Qiren? Hopefully he hadn’t realized that it was actually Jingyi who had left the rabbit in his desk, because Jingyi needed a favor, and it was going to be a lot easier to gain if he was on Lan Qiren’s good side.

On second thought, he wasn’t brave enough to go to Lan Qiren himself, and so, like a coward, he searched out Lan Xichen. “Ummm....hi. I was wondering, do you think...Jin Ling, Sizhui and I could join in on the next nighthunt? It would be good practice, you know, and...stuff...?”

He looked up at Lan Xichen, and was relieved to see that he was smiling, albeit somewhat...knowingly? How much did he suspect? He answered benevolently enough, however, saying “Of course! Extra hands are always welcome! Please convey my consent to Jin Ling and Sizhui.”

“Okay. Thanks. Bye!” Jingyi got out of there as fast as he could, because, even though he was sure that Lan Xichen was a very nice person, somehow Jingyi had always been intimidated by the sheer fact that he was always smiling. Surely he couldn’t actually be happy all the time...so when was he actually pleased, and when was he just faking? Jingyi, who always read people by their facial expression, couldn’t tell, and that made him nervous.

At any rate, one obstacle was overcome, and Operation Get The Idiots Together was running smoothly. Jingyi patted himself on the back.

  
————————————————

Wei Wuxian was a man of action. Now burdened with the precious knowledge that his nephew was in love with his son, (nobody, not even Lan Zhan would ever know just how much it meant to him that Jin Ling had come to _him_ with this information first) he resolved that, to justify Jin Ling’s trust in him, he would try to help him as much as possible.

The first thing to ascertain was whether Sizhui felt the same way about Jin Ling that Jin Ling did about Sizhui. He hadn’t really paid close attention to their interactions before, but now that he was watching closely, he could see the way Sizhui relaxed whenever Jin Ling was around, the way he often brought him up in conversation with a “Jin Ling likes those”, “Jin Ling tried this” or, more often than not, “Jin Ling thinks that’s stupid”.

It was a very eye-opening experience.

One day, about three days after Jin Ling’s Big Confession, he decided just to straight out ask Sizhui. He was almost certain what the answer would be, but he felt he needed it from Sizhui’s own mouth if he was ever going to try and get them together. Unlike some people suspected, he would never tamper with other people’s hearts. He had gone through way too much pain, put his beloved Lan Zhan through too much pain, all because he had been an idiot, to _ever_ do that again.

At any rate, they were both sitting in the Jingshi, petting one of Lan Zhan’s rabbits, when Wei Wuxian decided to spring the question. He didn’t even bother leading up to it, because what difference would that make? An answer was an answer, and if he was going to get them together during the next nighthunt, a little over two weeks away, he needed as much time as possible to formulate a plan. So, without further ponderance, Wei Wuxian asked his son, “Sizhui. Do you like Jin Ling?”

Sizhui’s fingers stilled on the rabbit he was stroking. “W—why do you ask?”

“You talk about him all the time, how could I not notice? Surely you don’t take your dad for an idiot!” Wei Wuxian chuckled.

“I do?” Sizhui looked surprised. Then his brow furrowed. “Well...I guess I do, actually. I hadn’t noticed.”

Wei Wuxian couldn’t help teasing, just a little. “You do what, talk about Jin Ling a lot, or like him?” He paused. “ Or, heaven forbid, take your dad for an idiot?”

“Talk about him, of course! I noticed I liked Jin Ling a long time ago!”

“Ah-HAH!” Wei Wuxian laughed triumphantly. “You admit it! You do like him!”

Sizhui turned red, burying his flaming face in his hands. “Daaaaad!”

“Just making sure everything was in order, Sizhui. Now I can finally proceed!” Wei Wuxian dropped his rabbit and skipped merrily out the door, grinning to himself. “Please don’t forget to put the rabbits back when you’re done playing with them!”

“Wait, Dad, where are you going? Dad? Dad!!”

————————————————

Jin Ling was certain that Wei Wuxian was up to something. He kept on giving him _tremendous, meaningful winks_ , like he was supposed to understand or something. The disturbing thing was, he seemed completely unfazed by the _tremendous, meaningful_ _glares_ he was getting in response. It was really too much. Glaring was the way Jin Ling communicated with the outside world, and to have them so completely and gleefully ignored was...disconcerting, to say the least.

So Jin Ling settled for ignoring him entirely. It almost worked.

On the other hand, efforts at ignoring his feelings for Sizhui were failing. Utterly. He could barely even talk to Sizhui normally anymore. He tripped over his words and his feet, fell down an entire staircase, and walked into a tree, just because Sizhui’s eyes were too _drattedly distracting_. Jingyi laughing at him in the background didn’t help his general state of mind at all either.

One could imagine his relief when he was told he was allowed to participate in the nighthunt scheduled two weeks away. Anything to take his mind off Sizhui would be a welcome distraction.

Unfortunately, he still had to survive two more weeks until then.

At least he figured out what Wei Wuxian was so smug about. He came up Jin Ling the three days after he had asked for help, with a list of scenarios he could create so that Jin Ling would have the opportunity to confess. Most of them were completely ridiculous, of course, and Jin Ling would have been tempted to think that Wei Wuxian was making fun of him, if not for the fact that apparently, according to Sizhui, Wei Wuxian was always like this. A complete idiot about almost anything practical, especially in matters of the heart. Belatedly, Jin Ling wondered why he’d thought this was a good idea at all.

He managed to put up his exasperating uncle for almost an entire afternoon, and didn’t quite lose hope that Wei Wuxian would be somehow helpful until he showed up with the most annoying, impossible scheme yet, that he lock Jin Ling and Sizhui up in a closet together until Jin Ling confessed. “And then it would be literally “coming out of the closet!”” Wei Wuxian had a bout of mild hysteria at his unfunny joke. “I know, my ever-abounding wit amazes even me sometimes!”

Jin Ling groaned. “Can you maybe be serious for once in your life?”

“Nope, sorry, no can-do. “Serious” is a foreign concept to my poor overworked, under-appreciated brain. Shameless is my resting state, take it or leave it!”

Jin Ling rolled his eyes. “Then I’m leaving!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: Lan Xichen is not actually that creepy, Jingyi the Troublemaker is just paranoid.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which they leave on the nighthunt, Sizhui is clueless, Wei Wuxian is a dandy, Lan Wangji is coerced, and Jingyi has a Great Idea (?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay...so I am updating WAY more frequently than I thought I would be, but honestly, most of the story is already written at this point, and I’m really excited about it! There may be a delay in updates once I run out of ready material, though, just warning you.

———One (very awkward) week later———

“All right, everybody listen up!” The other juniors immediately quieted down to hear the announcement, and Sizhui looked up in surprise, since Lan Xichen did not often talk to them in person.

 _I wonder what’s going on_ , thought Sizhui. _Is Jin Ling okay?_ He panicked for a second, before seeing him on the other side on the crowd, turned away from him, staring fixedly at the most boring shrub Sizhui had ever seen. _What in the world does he think he’s_ _doing?_ Wondered Sizhui, but just then his thoughts were interrupted when Lan Xichen spoke again.

“Due to an unexpected amount of demonic activity in the south, we have moved the nighthunt scheduled for the day after tomorrow forward, and our new departure time is set for today at 4 PM. Please be ready to leave by that time. Those participating are excused from their regular activities that they may prepare. Thank you!” Lan Xichen left, and all the juniors started to disperse, the lucky ones that were going leaving in a flurry to pack, and the disappointed few that were not straggling back to whatever they had been doing before.

Sizhui walked back to his rooms deep in thought. While he was, of course, excited for the nighthunt, he couldn’t help but worry for Jin Ling. The boy had been acting unaccountably clumsy lately, and Sizhui was afraid that he might accidentally land himself in trouble without Sizhui there to help him with it. (He knew that Jin Ling would probably disagree violently with that statement, because he can _“take care of himself, thank you very much!” but really,_ Sizhui argued with the miniature Jin Ling in his head _, sometimes you actually_ _do need help, and that’s FINE. Just drop your stupid pride already and let me help you!_ Mini-Jin Ling harrumphed, sat down in the corner, and sulked.)

He was so focused that he didn’t look where he was going, until he ran into Jin Ling himself. The other boy immediately let out an annoyed huff.”Watch where you’re going! Don’t you have eyes, idiot—oh. Oh, it’s you, Sizhui! Ummm, hi! I was just going back to my rooms to pack. Andstuff. For the nighthunt. Uh, sorry? For running into you? Ummm...I’ll just be on my way, then. See you later?”

He rushed past him before Sizhui could reply. _Yes_ , he thought. _Jin Ling is definitely avoiding me. But why?_ Had he done something wrong? _I don’t think we got in a fight,_ he mused. _Maybe something happened with Jingyi, and he’s assuming I’ll side with my cousin. It’s unlike him to be apologetic, though. Normally he’d just yell at me and flounce off in the other direction. Is he really okay?_

Silently, Sizhui vowed not to let Jin Ling out of his sight during that nighthunt, because he could never forgive himself if something happened and Jin Ling got hurt because he wasn’t there.

Now, on a slightly more practical note, what was he to pack? His and Jingyi’s rooms were positioned near each other, what with them being cousins, and so it was no surprise to find Jingyi flopped out across his bed waiting for him when he opened his door. “Hey, Sizhui, can I borrow one of your spare packs?” Jingyi asked him, sitting up.

“Why can’t you use one of your own?” Sizhui replied, pulling his out and beginning to sort through all the stuff he had to make room for somehow.

“I dropped my favorite in the lotus pond last week,” Jingyi explained. “And now it’s not only a weird shade of green-ish, it also smells like algae. All my other ones are full of holes.”

Sizhui decided that discretion was the better part of valor, and refrained from asking exactly what Jingyi had been doing with his favorite pack and the lotus pond because, as the matter stood, he could still claim almost complete innocence in case Lan Qiren went on the warpath. “Sure, I suppose. Just don’t lose it, please.”

“Or drop it in the pond. Yeah, yeah, I get it, I’ll be careful. Thanks Sizhui!” Jingyi was heading toward the door when Sizhui called after him, “Wait. Jingyi?”

“Hm? What’s up?”

Sizhui bit his lip. “Did you and Jin Ling fight recently?”

Jingyi frowned, thinking. “No, not that I can remember...Why?”

“He’s been avoiding me and I don’t know why. I can’t think of anything I did, so I thought maybe you guys had an argument, and he assumed I’d side with you, and so he didn’t want to see me.”

“I’m pretty sure you’re imagining things, Sizhui. Why would Jin Ling be avoiding you?” 

“That’s exactly what I don’t know! He even apologized to me when we bumped into each other just now, even though it was clearly my fault. I’m afraid something’s wrong. When was the last time he ever apologized to anybody?”

“I’m sure Jin Ling is fine. As for apologizing to you, maybe he’s just finally learning some manners. That would be nice. Anyways, Sizhui, I’m sure you have nothing to worry about. Now if you’ll excuse me, I kind of need to go back and finish my packing. See you later!” And with that, Jingyi left, leaving a very worried Sizhui behind him. He had to repack his bag three times before managing to fit everything in, but if that was because he added a few extra jars of medicinal herbs in case of accidents, well, it was nobody’s business but his own.

Once outside the door, Jingyi swore long and quietly about the idiocy of his two best friends.

————————————————

Wei Wuxian was about to be brilliant. All he had to do was get his nephew and son “lost” during tomorrow’s nighthunt, and, unless they were complete idiots, something would happen. It was as simple as that.

He explained this reasoning to Lan Zhan while packing. “And then, if everything goes well—Lan Zhan, which belt should I bring? I like the black one, but the red one is newer, so—’’

“Wei Ying. It is a nighthunt.”

“Nobody ever outlawed being fashionable at a nighthunt! Wait. Does the Lan Clan _actually_ have a rule against being style-conscious while fighting? _Seriously?!”_

“...No.”

“There you are then. At any rate, you never answered my question! Will you help me?”

“Lying is forbidden in the Cloud Recesses.”

“Awww, come on! One, we won’t be in the Cloud Recesses, two, don’t you want your darling relations to be happy?, and three, your _very favorite_ husband asked you to very nicely. It would be a shame to disappoint him, wouldn’t it?”

Wei Wuxian walked over to Lan Zhan and draped himself around his neck from behind.

Lan Zhan sighed. “Wei Ying. You are my only husband.”

“I know! _Pleeeease_ , darling?”

A moment of agonizing silence. Then, quietly: “If it will make you and Sizhui happy.”

Wei Wuxian kissed him.

————————————————

Jingyi’s plan was infallible. It was a long nighthunt, so they were going to have to camp out, and Jingyi placed himself in charge of the sleeping arrangements. Immediately upon arriving, he claimed a tent to share with Ouyang Zizhen. Lan Xichen had his own, and Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian were, of course, sharing. The girls brought their own, too, and so, just as planned, that left Sizhui and Jin Ling together. Jingyi was quite proud of himself.

As soon as he announced his plan of sharing with Zizhen, Sizhui caught on and gave him an utterly betrayed look. Jingyi merely winked at him. Jin Ling turned the color of a tomato, muttered something about how tempted he was to erase _certain monkeys_ from existence entirely, and stalked off to get his stuff.

Jingyi grinned and left to gather his own (Sizhui’s) pack. Ah, the poor, clueless idiots. They needed all the help they could get if they were ever going to get together, and therefore it was Jingyi’s self-proclaimed job to assist them all he could.

Just before supper, Sizhui pulled him aside, saying “Jingyi, please, I can’t share a tent with Jin Ling, I just _can’t_!”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s just so...awkward. I don’t want to accidentally annoy him or anything, and I just—’’

“Oh, it’ll be fine! You do know that Jin Ling is your friend as well as your crush, right? It’s not like he’s a complete stranger!”

“But you know he’s been avoiding me lately, and I’m afraid I’ll make him mad somehow! I don’t want to exasperate him even more if he’s already irritated!”

Jingyi almost rolled his eyes. “Trust me, he’s _fine_.”

“But—’’

“Oh will you _look_ at the sun! I think it’s almost time for _supper_!” Jingyi hustled Sizhui back to the campfire before he could beat himself up again or ask any more difficult questions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t know why, but, as you can see, I’ve always thought of Wei Wuxian as being very fashion conscious.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Yiling patriarch holds grudges, Jin Ling is gay panicking so hard, and Sizhui is a nervous wreck

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here I am again! Are you thoroughly sick of me yet? Probably the last update for a little bit because I need to actually get my life together, not to mention I need to finish this before I really do run out of chapters.

Lan Wangji was becoming suspicious. He watched Wei Ying, standing just outside the ring of firelight, stare calculatingly at the juniors, tapping his chin methodically. He obviously had some sort of Great and Masterful Plan, and this probably meant trouble for the whole party. Lan Zhan walked over to him. “Wei Ying. What are you thinking?”

“I was just wondering why the demonic activity started causing trouble so _very_ suddenly...” Wei Ying looked back at him coyly.

Lan Wangji sighed. “Was it you?”

“I _might_ have been involved. Say, Lan Zhan, isn’t this a lovely evening?”

“Wei Ying. Don’t do anything stupid.”

Wei Ying feigned shock. “Lan _Zhan_! When have I _ever_?”

Lan Wangji did one of the things he was best at and kept his mouth shut.

Wei Ying got the message. “Lan Zhaaaan. You’re no fun! Don’t worry, I made sure the corpses didn’t do any irreparable damage.”

“There were reports that they broke one man’s wrist.”

“Not irreparable. Anyways, he was rude to you last time we passed through. You didn’t let me do anything that time, but he had it coming.”

“That was last year.”

“Well, nobody ever said that the feared Yiling Patriarch didn’t hold grudges! At any rate, the score is settled now.”

Lan Wangji said nothing.

He was very good at that.

————————————————

Jin Ling was furious. What was that idiot Jingyi THINKING? Did he want Jin Ling to have an aneurysm in the middle of the night from being too close to Sizhui and DIE? IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT, JINGYI???

He sat through the whole of dinner scarlet, looking anywhere but Sizhui. How was Sizhui so calm?? This was NOT how he imagined the nighthunt playing out. He really wasn’t sure if could survive this. He accidentally caught Wei Wuxian’s eye, but all his pathetic excuse for an uncle did was grin at him. Grin. At a time like this!

Jin Ling had had enough. He finished his food as fast as he could, and stood up abruptly. “I’m going for a walk.” Yes. A walk would be just the thing to cool his face off. Perfect.

“Don’t go to far, A-Ling! Be back before nine!”

“Yeah, sure, fine, whatever! See you later.” Why did Wei Wuxian have to be such a mother bird all the time? Jin Ling wasn’t even his son! He groused his way out of the ring of firelight and into the woods. What was it with Wei Wuxian and being friendly? He had to be friendly to everyone, and it got severely under Jin Ling’s skin. Sure he had a reputation to break, but couldn’t he glare at all? Was he even capable of it? Jin Ling’s other avuncular experience had been mostly with Jiang Cheng, and he frowned literally all the time. Jin Ling was used to that, and to reading the intensity of the scowl, from “I’m actually proud of you but to much of a grump to admit it” to “Say your prayers because as soon as you get within arms reach of me you are (language, Jiang Cheng!) dead!!”

Jin Ling suddenly realized that, during this inner monologue, he had wandered much farther than he had originally meant to. Blast his life.

Now where was he?

————————————————

Sizhui watched Jin Ling leave anxiously. It wasn’t good for anyone to wander alone in the woods after sunset, especially when they were on a nighthunt trip, he thought. _I wonder where he’s going. Will he be okay? What if he gets hurt? What if he’s hurt right now? What can I do? Do I just sit here? What if he’s hurt??_

Sizhui was worrying himself into a panic. 

“Sheesh, Sizhui, if you’re that nervous, just follow him already! And if you’re not could you please stop vibrating? You’re going to shiver yourself off this rock if you’re not careful.” Jingyi complained.

“What do you mean follow him? What makes you think I was even thinking about him?” Sizhui asked, red-faced.

“Because you knew I was talking about Jin Ling even though I never named him. Anyways, who else have you been thinking about for the last few weeks?”

Sizhui groaned. “Go away, Jingyi. I don’t wanna talk about him.”

“Okay, suit yourself! See you in the morning!” Jingyi winked at him, and Sizhui scowled at his retreating back.

He sat there stewing for a few more minutes, until he was sure that everyone else had left, and the he got up as quietly as he could and set off in the direction Jin Ling had stomped off in.

The trail was easy enough to follow. Jin Ling had been making no attempt to cover his tracks, because there was, as far as he knew, no reason to. Here and there the leaves had been kicked up, and Sizhui, who had always had good eyes, was probably following it faster than Jin Ling had made it.

Sizhui wasn’t stalking Jin Ling, not really. He was just concerned for his friend’s safety. Or at least, this is what he told himself, because otherwise what in the world was he doing? He wasn’t paying the closest attention to where he was going, trying to find a valid excuse for following his crush into the woods without him knowing, and so it was not surprising (except for him) when he suddenly tripped over something and fell flat on his face.

It was surprising (especially to him) when he realized exactly what he tripped over.

“Ow!” Yelped Jin Ling. Then, “What in the world are you doing here?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sizhui, you are one of the sweetest idiots I know.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, folks! The big one, the one you’ve all been waiting for!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last! Chapter!  
> I can’t believe I actually did this. This is the very first fanfiction I’ve ever actually finished, let alone published. Yay!

Jin Ling was annoyed. In the first place, he crush had literally just tripped over him and he could not think of one coherent thing to say. Secondly, he was pretty sure his ankle was sprained. That wasn’t Sizhui’s fault, it was completely his own idiocy, but it still really hurt when Sizhui fell on top of him.

Sizhui must have the pain in his voice because he scrambled off as fast as could, saying “Jin Ling! What are you doing here? What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, I just caught my foot on a stupid root like a stupid idiot and now my stupid ankle is sprained.”

“Then you are definitely not okay! Wait a second, let me help—’’ Sizhui reached into the pouch at his side and pulled out a strip of white bandage.

“Ummm, why do you have medicinal supplies with you? That’s like, weirdly prepared. Do you always do that? Why haven’t I noticed this already?” Oh, great, now he was rambling. Like an idiot.

Sizhui didn’t seem perturbed by his inability to shut up, though, merely saying “No, I don’t often carry first aid supplies with me. I brought some this time because you seemed to be more prone to accidents lately, and I figured something like this might happen.”

Jin Ling was pretty sure that if he was at his typical level of energy, he would have had to take offense at this assumption of his clumsiness, but right now, drained as he was, he really didn’t have the willpower to get mad. Instead, he watched Sizhui binding up his ankle.

“You’re really pretty.” It just slipped out. He didn’t mean to say it, but his exhausted brain wasn’t listening to him anymore. And anyways it was completely true.

Sizhui stopped dead. “...What?”

“I said...you’re...” Jin Ling gulped, “...Pretty.”

“Really?” Sizhui looked up at him with a strange expression on his face. “You think I’m pretty?”

“Well, obviously! Who wouldn’t? Seriously, has no one told you that you’re pretty before?”

Sizhui looked down again. “I guess so. But...it’s different. When you say it.”

Jin Ling didn’t understand. “Why would it make a difference when I say it? I’m just another person.”

“No you’re not!” Sizhui sounded almost fierce. “You’re Jin Ling, and you’re amazing and wonderful and I—” his voice dropped almost to a whisper. “...I like you.”

Jin Ling’s brain switched off with those words. “You...what? I—I don’t understand, what—”

Sizhui tackled him. “It means I’m in love with you, idiot! I know you don’t feel the same way, and I’m sorry for bothering you, I’ll never do it again but, just for now, could I please hug you? I—I don’t know what to do, and I’m sorry, but I just can’t help it, and—” He broke off there and buried his face in Jin Ling’s shoulder, his own shaking silently.

Jin Ling suddenly realized exactly what had just been said to him, and how completely wrong most of it was. He grabbed Sizhui by the shoulders and looked him in the eyes. Sizhui’s face was a mess of tears, and it made Jin Ling himself want to cry, because those tears were his fault. “Y—you’re the idiot, Sizhui!” he choked. “Of course I’m in love with you! How did you not notice? I thought I was so obvious, and you just didn’t like me...” he trailed off, seeing the heartbreakingly hopeful expression on Sizhui’s face.

“You love me? You’re not just...saying that...because I was crying? Please don’t pretend just to make me feel better, it’s—”

Sizhui never got to say what “it” was, because Jin Ling, desperate to shut him up, lunged forward and kissed him.

It wasn’t a particularly good kiss, the angle was awkward, and neither of them were quite ready, but it had the desired effect. Sizhui was speechless, and when Jin Ling pulled back, grinning, he answered it with a tentative smile of his own. “Would I do that to someone I wasn’t in love with?” asked Jin Ling. “The answer is “no” by the way.” He smiled at Sizhui and then wheezed as Sizhui knocked him to the ground again with a fierce hug. They stayed like that for a while, neither knew how long, just holding each other.

And then of course, because he was Jin Ling, he had to go and ruin the moment with a blinding flash of enlightenment:

“Wait, you’re _gay_??”

————————————————

Sizhui was dreaming. He had to be. His crush for over a year had just called him pretty, and then, when he finally couldn’t hold it back anymore, and confessed in one of the least elegant ways he had ever imagined, Jin Ling said he liked him back. And then kissed him.

Sizhui had to be dreaming.

However, looking at Jin Ling there, leaning up against the tree, smiling even though he must be exhausted, Sizhui knew that somehow, impossibly, he wasn’t. This was real.

Jin Ling broke the long silence first. “So...what now?”

Sizhui sighed. “Well, you obviously can’t walk back to the camp on that leg, and you’re already bigger than me, so I can’t carry you. I guess I’ll have to go back and get Dad or Father.”

Jin Ling looked regretful. “Okay, I suppose.”

“Probably Wei Wuxian. His sleep schedule is so erratic at the best of times, that I doubt he’d make much of a fuss,” Sizhui mused, standing back up and preparing to leave. Suddenly he stopped, feeling a hand on his arm.

“W—wait.”

“What is it, Jin Ling?”

The other boy looked up at him shyly. “Do...do you have to go? We could stay here i-if you want, and go back in the morning.”

Sizhui felt his face soften. “Of course we can. Come here.” He sat down beside Jin Ling again and opened his arms. Jin Ling nestled into his chest, just like he had always been meant to be there (which, thought Sizhui, of course he was),and entwined their hands in his lap.

“Goodnight, Jin Ling. Sleep well.” He murmured in his ear.

“G’night...” Jin Ling was already practically asleep.

That was one of the best moments in Sizhui’s life.

————————————————

The next morning, Wei Wuxian awoke to the whole camp in complete uproar. “Lan Zhan...?” He asked blearily. No response. He poked his head out of the tent flap, and blinked at the sun’s glare. “Whassamatter? He mumbled thickly.

Suddenly his vision was full of white robes. “Oh, hey, Lan Zhan, what’s going on? I just woke up. Please explain things to your poor, sleep-deprived husband!”

“Lan Sizhui and Jin Ling are missing. They were not in their tent this morning, and there is no sign that they even slept in it at all. We are about to set out looking for them.”

“Missing? I wonder...” Wei Wuxian was probably not nearly as worried as he should be, having just been informed that his son and his nephew were both probably lost in an unfamiliar part of the woods. However, the significance of the aforesaid fact was not lost on him. In his head, he silently congratulated the pair on finally talking things out.

At least he hoped they had. If he found out that they pulled this whole stunt, and didn’t even confess to each other—

“Master Wei! Hanguang-Jun! We think we know where they went!”

Lan Jingyi was looking far too excited for his own good. How much does he know, I wonder, mused Wei Wuxian.

“Well come on guys, let’s go!” Wei Wuxian was fully awake now, and more than up for any type of adventure.

They followed the trail quickly, having been trod by two people, it was now fairly hard not to see.

When they arrived at the tree, Wei Wuxian squeaked happily. Jin Ling and Lan Sizhui were both leaning against it fast asleep, with Sizhui’s arms around Jin Ling’s waist, and Jin Ling’s head resting on his shoulder.

He turned to Lan Zhan. “Well. It looks like we weren’t necessary. They managed perfectly well all by themselves!”

Lan Zhan didn’t say anything, but Wei Wuxian could have sworn he looked relieved.

————————————————

Jingyi was the first to move. He bent down and shook Jin Ling’s arm. “Jin Ling, wake up. It’s morning!”

“...Huh? Where am I? Oh, hey Sizhui how are....” Jin Ling trailed off, noticing for the first time the position they were in, and all then all the people around them. “Oh. Hi, guys.”

Wei Wuxian chuckled. “It’s about time! You two finally decided to get together! Congratulations!”

Jin ling blushed visibly. “Ummm. Thanks, I guess? I mean—” he broke off as Sizhui stirred beside him.

Sizhui blinked as his gaze focused on the person next to him. “Good morning, love,” he mumbled, and Jin Ling blushed to the roots of his hair, Jingyi whistled, and Wei Wuxian feigned a gasp as he said teasingly, “My, my, I never knew my dear little Sizhui was such a romantic at heart! Lan Zhan, help, this is killing me, it’s too adorable!”

He fell back dramatically against Lan Wangji, who of course caught him, saying only, “Wei Ying. One cannot die from that.”

Sizhui himself, after realizing the situation, promptly turned bright red and hid his face in his hands, which, of course, only made Lan Jingyi laugh even more uproariously.

Wei Wuxian finally managed to put on some semblance of a straight face. “Well, I’m glad you two actually talked to one another, but, while I’m pretty sure we were all hoping for this to happen, the reason we are all out here is still technically nighthunting. So. Who wants to go beat up some fierce corpses with their boyfriend?”

“Me!” Said Lan Sizhui and Jin Ling together. Then of course they both turned beet red, looking pointedly at anything but each other.

They were still new to this, but they were learning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And as Loony Tunes would say, “That’s All, Folks!”
> 
> I really hope you enjoyed it!

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, guys, that was it, that was the first chapter, it’s posted, it’s done.
> 
> I’m terrified.
> 
> I’m afraid I can’t give you guys a regular update schedule, but I will try to keep updating at least once a week. I’m still writing this, so please bear with me here. This is my very first fanfiction ever, so please, hit me with criticism, just for the sake of my general morale, please keep it constructive. Thank you for getting this far, and I hope you have a lovely day!
> 
> PS Don’t let quarantine get you down!


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